I guess that all dog owners think that they have the best dog ever, and quite honestly none of them are wrong, because we all do have the best dogs or as best they can be in our own eyes, and we love them with all our heart because we know that they give us their unconditional love.

When I was younger I could not really understand when people cry about the loss of their dog or when they constantly talking about their wonderful dog or when they in rush and need to run home just to be with their dog; all those things I couldn’t understand until I met Bolt, my dog, the love of my life.

He was only 2 months young when I saw him for the first time, and instantly I fall in love with him. He was so adorable, so small, so sweet, and so fragile that I was being so extremely careful with him. He was very excited to be part of my life; that’s at least what I like to believe. He was so very energetic, and he still is 2 years later. Very playful, and wanted to play and run all the time. He was only 2 months when we first went outside of the apartment for a short walk, and I remember I didn’t put the leash on him, and he did not run away. He was listening to everything I said, learning, and walking always next to me. Well, even at that young age of only two months he thought me unconditional love, and that’s when I realized if I can have that in my life, then things won’t be too bad.

On November 1st 2016 it is going to be Bolt’s 2nd birthday. I can honestly say that I love this little furry friend of mine more than anything, and of some odd reason the more I get to know people the more I love my dog. My affections towards my dog are returned by him sleeping next to me, by him cuddling with me even though there is plenty of space on the bed, by him just staring at me with his beautiful eyes and that’s his way of hugging me and telling me he loves me. The best feeling in the world is when I return home and he sees me and starts to jump of happiness just because he saw me even though we were separated for 5 minutes. Then he runs away and grabs his favorite toy and brings it back to me.

That feeling when you are in bed or watching TV and your dog comes to you and lays down next to you is my idea of absolute happiness. That love bond with a dog is everlasting. And all they need is food and little affection. They indeed can sense love and that you love them, and only your love can make the dog wag his tail. Another wonderful thing is that they can sense your mood and they can snap you out of any kind of bad mood that you might be in much faster than you can think of.

As Josh Billings once said “a dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself”, and I strongly agree with that statement. Bolt is my living proof for that.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

These amazing and unforgettable words were said by Theodore Roosevelt over 100 years ago at the Sorbonne in Paris, 1910, and no matter how many times one might read these words, you feel a tingle, an inspiration. It is time to shine, and today is a day for reflection. Today is a day for us to find within ourselves the power and the energy that we need to achieve great things. Today is also a day for us to consider what we will do with the liberty that has been given to us. Are we going to be that man or woman in the arena that Theodore Roosevelt was talking about, and refuse to take what the critics have to say?

Well, today, as I have done many times before, I took inspiration from Roosevelt’s calling to the great devotions with great enthusiasms, and started to write a new chapter in my life. Today is just another day and it is time to shine again. There are always going to be people to put you down, to be negative or to produce negative energy. There are always going to be people to talk behind your back, and we need to learn how not to worry about what people say behind our back; they are the people who are finding faults in our life, your life, instead of fixing the faults in their own life.

Today is the day when I have reminded myself once again how wonderful this life is. It truly is. The most important thing is to have great health. Once one has great health everything is possible. I am very dedicated with my new projects, new adventures and new amazing upcoming travels. The key is to stay focused, determined and to be passionate about everything we do. No matter what task, big or small, interesting or boring, we must tackle every task with dedication and passion. Then the rest is easy.

Black sand beaches, crystal clear waters and whitewashed villages that cling to volcanic cliffs make the island of Santorini a wonder to behold. Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion that occurred in the 16th century BC. This wonderful and very small island of about 16,000 residents belongs to Greece.

A very interesting fact is that the island of Santorini does not have any rivers and there is insufficient amount of water. Therefore a desalination plant is providing running, yet non-potable, water to most houses. Desalination is basically a process that removes minerals from saline water. Since rain is rare on the island from mid-spring till mid-autumn, many plants depend on the scant moisture provided by the common, early morning fog condensing on the ground as dew.

Since cities like Fira are on the top of the cliff, one can either walk about 600 steps in zig-zag pattern, take a cable car or ride a donkey. Donkey transportation was introduced way before cable car was built and it’s still a tourist attraction. The donkeys, very patient and strong animals that have been used around the world as working animals for about 5,000 years were indispensable for the building of hotels and houses on the top of the cliff and they transferred the material and the tools needed for the buildings and contributed to the touristic development of Santorini. Even though some people have expressed their disagreement on the way the donkeys are used nowadays because the animals are considered to have a bad time, one must take into consideration that these wonderful and strong animals are an inseparable part of the locals’ life and both humans and animals co-exist in a perfect cooperation. The islanders respect the donkeys for their perseverance.

There are many things one can do in beautiful and spectacular island of Santorini. One can spend a day at the beach, do a catamaran ride, visit a winery, dive into crystal clear water, climb an active volcano, experience real meaning of dinner with an amazing view of the deep blue Mediterranean Sea, drink wine and cocktails till sunset and dance till dawn. Or simply have a small picnic basket and find a great spot to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. That’s the moment you will definitely remember for the rest of your life.

Many visitors come to Santorini to uncover the mysteries of the lost kingdom of Atlantis, while others revel in its relaxed mountaintop atmosphere to enjoy the scenic water of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Regardless of the reason one will definitely have an amazing time.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” ~ Saint Augustine

Capri, an island in Italy’s Bay of Naples with population of about 13,000 is famed for its rugged landscape, upscale hotels and shopping, from fashion designers to Italian limoncello and beautiful handmade leather sandals. Originally this beautiful island was colonized by the Greeks and at later point was adopted as a possession of Naples, Italy.

To get to Capri we took a ferry from Napoli. It is a quick an hour boat ride. Capri is amazingly beautiful island and the best way to explore it is do it the Italian way, on a moped. As they say “when in Italy, do as Italians”. So we rented a moped and drove around the island. We discovered and saw amazing and beautiful places. We swam in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea that emerges around the island. The Sea was very deep. As soon as you step into the water, the water is above your head. It is great for diving; however, one must be careful because there are lots of rocks in the water that one wants to avoid.

“There are people who have money and people who are rich.” ~ Coco Chanel

Monaco, a land of the filthy rich is truly a mythic place located between the Alpes and the Mediterranean Sea that offer fairy tale dreams to become reality. It is a playground for mega rich. Rich or not, single or with your family this wonderful Principality of Monaco will offer you a universe of many sides where everything is done to your satisfaction.

Monaco is not a Kingdom, it is a Principality, because it is ruled by a Prince and not by a King. Prince Albert who is the current reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco is one of the wealthiest royals in the world. Even though Monaco is a very tiny nation of about 40,000 residents and the size of Central Park in New York City, it has more billionaires per capita than anywhere else in the World. That might be because Monaco is tax haven for rich people since it doesn’t have personal income tax and has attracted a big number of wealthy residents from European countries, celebrities, business royalties and sports stars who earn their income from all over the world.

It is mecca for super ultra-expensive vehicles, yachts, and casinos. Monte Carlo is not a quiet place for rich. At the contrary to what you may expect, it is a place that gets loud as residents rev up their super-car engines when they drive town. Cars like Ferrari, Bentley, Lamborghini, and other grandiose super cars is very common to see all over Monaco. They drive those cars to their yachts where they have their afternoon cocktails on. During the Formula One race one can see all these amazingly expensive fast cars being smashed on the streets of Monte Carlo.

Monte Carlo, which is the most popular resort destination in Monaco is very easily accessed by land or plane. This very glamorous city is worth seeing. When you get there you simply cannot miss the magnificent yachts docked in Monte Carlo Harbor. You can take a water taxi or hop aboard a yacht cruise to experience the luxury. Another cool think to do is to take a tour of the Prince’s Palace. The state rooms are open to the public during the summer, and who knows, one might spot a royalty and become one. Once can see changing of the guards in the front of the Palace each day at 11:55am. You simply cannot leave Monte Carlo without doing some shopping. There are plenty amazing boutiques that define exclusive. And of course you can try your gambling luck at the world’s most famous Casino de Monte Carlo, “Grand Casino Royale” which was the location for many of James Bond movies. Or you can simply just have lunch overlooking amazingly beautiful Mediterranean Sea and enjoy the view.

Mozart’s phenomenal comic opera, The Marriage of Figaro, in four acts was absolutely fantastic. The Marriage of Figaro was originally composed in 1786, and was shown across the world since then. I had a great privilege to see the new production of Mozart’s eternal masterpiece at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. The opera was set in an 18th century manor house in Seville during 1930s. Once you see this phenomenal masterpiece then you will understand why this opera is an immortal comedy. The music was very joyful, the ensembles and entire cast were magnificent. There were lots of twists and turns during the entire production of about 3 hours and 40 minutes that will make you laugh out loud.

I strongly recommend seeing this new production of La Nozze di Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. You will definitely have the time of your life, and enjoy the elegant music with constant tension among the social classes and between the sexes, where each character has something to gain and something to hide.

For the first time in my life I have attended a four day event where participants attend in costume wearing a mask. This ultimate masquerade ball took place in a big and beautiful house in Savannah, Georgia. There were 20 participants in total representing different characters and coming from different parts of the world. My character was the Count Dracula. The event was a very big extravaganza with lots of laughter. The costumes were superb, and the entire production was phenomenal. The cast was incredible and very talented.

The entire four day event was packed with different activities from very gastronomical cooking through rehearsals, filming and to the award ceremony. The rehearsals took an entire day, the filming itself took another day and en entire evening, the mystery murder took place at night, and the award ceremony took place the following evening. It was an incredible event with a very busy schedule.

Savannah, Georgia was a very cute little town. The 20 people cast got divided into 4 groups that would compete against each other in cooking and group acting. The first day we all went separate ways to explore the city of Savannah and also to plan our cooking activity. Our group was assigned to make a phenomenal Thai-Latin fusion breakfast, which was a great success I must say. During the lunch time our group members got to know each other much better. The team was extraordinary and people were crazy funny. I was literally crying of laughter. Even though the ages ranged from 17 years all the way to about 50 we all clicked instantly.

Cooking experience was great. Very tiring at times and each team had to put lots of hours and effort to deliver the best culinary experience and amazing gastronomical food. The first dinner was Italian experience, where everyone around the table were acting as Italians and we all were singing Italian songs while the team that cooked six-course menu was serving us and delivering an amazing performance. After dinner we all danced, and had an amazing night.

French Countryside Breakfast

Italian Dinner by Casanovas

Italian Dinner by Casanovas

The following day another team prepared an extraordinary Country Side French breakfast, which was actually served outside on the grass while a violinist was playing beautiful music. The food was delicious, and after the breakfast we all had to quickly change into masquerade costumes. The filming crew arrived around noon and we were filming entire day and entire evening different scenes. The ambiance was fantastic, and we all felt like we transformed ourselves back to 18th century.

My role was to play the handsome and seductive Count Dracula. To put my costume on and just to glue Dracula fangs took an hour and a half. Every single detail had to be perfect from makeup all the way to the entire costume. Of course I had to transform myself into a role of the Count Dracula and to act as one to the best of my abilities as I possibly could. My mask was an amazing and phenomenal half-face black mask of a bat, which was a perfect mask for my role since the Count Dracula transforms himself into a bat. One of the scenes was a flying scene which took number of takes, and I hope it will come up as desired.

Dancing Waltz

The Count Dracula

The Plague Doctor and The Count Dracula

Me as the Count Dracula

The Count Dracula and Cleopatra

The Count Dracula and Cleopatra

Me as The Count Dracula

The Count Dracula and The Faun

Everyone’s costume was extraordinary and everyone put so much time and effort to put together an amazing show. I was literally blown away with skills and dedication of the people to put this event together. Even though there were lots of retakes and lots of hard work during the entire event nobody had complained, not even once and everyone did the best as they possibly could. Production was successful. I am so looking forward to see the final video of this production, which would be finalized and premiered two months after the event took place, just during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Mystery murder and acting was very fun. I have never attended such event before so it was definitely an experience for me. Although I was so into my character I slipped to pay attention to other people to solve the mystery murder. I did not solve the puzzle that was given to us, but it was fun to participate.

Dinner under a tent

African dinner took place just before the award’s ceremony and that was a total African experience. Food was delicious and the entire ambiance

Serving breakfast at the pool

and décor was phenomenal. To experience true African culture everyone had to try to eat with their hands. The captain of the team explained everything about the food and the culture. This was an experience. Our group prepared Thai-Latin fusion breakfast that was served outside by the pool. The ambiance, décor and food were superb. Everyone complimented our imagination and attention to details. During the preparation, which took the entire night our team had so much fun. We sang, laughed and totally enjoyed our company and cooking. The service was first class service. During the day we had some time to relax at the pool and just enjoy beautiful day and a wonderful company.

Award ceremony took place very late at night, after midnight. Although everyone was extremely tired we all dressed up well to walk on the red carpet. There were about 20 different categories, and I was very happy to be nominated to most of the categories and to win a first place trophy and two medals. I won first place for the best waltz duo dance award, which was expected from me since I am a great dancer. Then I won second best most competitive award and second best most photogenic award. I was really positively surprised for these awards and very happy to receive them. I even presented the best red carpet look award at the award ceremony. This was definitely one of the ultimate masquerade ball events ever, and I have never heard or been at such phenomenal event and production. Hopefully our video will be aired in the near future on TV.

Paris has proven itself to be irresistible and still one of the best romantic cities in the world. Just walking along the river Seine and listening to the tunes from the street performers makes you want to be in love. Paris has everything you need and everything you want from amazing culture, fashion, gastronomical food and pastries that make you sing. There is so much to love in Paris. Even if you are not a romantic person you will not be able to resist the love that one can feel. It is a perfect place for lovers and for those who want to feel love.

Every time I come to Paris I enjoy my stay very much and I just love when everyone greets you with Bonjour. I have been in this wonderful and romantic city numerous times, and each time is like my first. My heart starts singing when walking down Champs Elysees. People are so nicely dressed and pay good attention to fashion. No matter if they are young or old, boy or girl they pay very close attention to fashion and most likely they will be way ahead of the current trends.

Although I do like Paris and I like vacationing in this wonderful city, I cannot resist but to ask myself whether all this about city of romance and love is just an illusion. Everywhere we look we see candy boxes full of chocolate, we see couples holding hands, hear romantic music, and our brain gets obsessed with these powerful emotions and has no other choice but to fall in love with the city we created in our mind. It’s all magic. Magic and illusion that we have created for ourselves.

Nevertheless, Paris or so called the city of romance is a wonderful city that I like and it has always been dear to me. Even if it is an illusion or magic, it is my illusion and my magic. When visiting Paris I feel happy, and I have the biggest smile on my face. It makes me feel as I am enjoying my life to the fullest. And enjoying my life and being happy is all that matters.

It is interesting how two very random people, total strangers, can meet and not speak or understand each others language and yet have such an extraordinary connection and unbelievable chemistry towards each other and communicate on different level and understand each other so very well just by looking, touching and feeling. I guess no matter where we come from we all speak that common language of love and fatal attraction where no words are necessary, and that feeling, feeling of love makes you move the mountains and do the impossible. Is it possible that these two strangers wouldn’t feel that great chemistry and amazing connection if they actually spoke each others language well? Maybe less is more.

Having the job I have has its advantages and gives me great opportunity to travel and explore new destinations and wonderful places. My current project brought me to the city of Montréal, which is located on the Island of Montréal, which took its name from the same source as the city after the triple peaked hill called Mount Royal or Mont Réal as it was spelled back in the day in Middle French, and the hill is located in the very heart of the city. With its metropolitan population of over 3,8 million or 1,8 million in the urban area, the city of Montreal is the second largest in Canada and fifteenth largest in North America according to census data of 2011.

The weather is cold and it is snowing. Actually I like when it snows. It is spectacular, romantic and very beautiful when it snows. The streets are all white and covered with snow; people are dressed and wearing hats, scarf and gloves. You hear French in the background. Simply beautiful. It is nice on day 1 that is; however, on day 2 is totally another story. It is slushy and dirty everywhere. One should not wear nice shoes when walking on streets of Montréal during winter.

The city itself is beautiful and reminds me very much of European cities. Even though French is official language people of Montreal are bilingual and some speak three or more languages. Everyone is extremely nice and polite. People that you see on streets seem very happy and have smile on their faces. I enjoy my stay here and I just love when everyone greets you with Bonjour.

DISCLAIMER

The columns mentioned on this site are not written with the intention to offend anyone. They are simply meant to be funny nonsensical satirical pieces that usually makes the writer laugh and if you find it entertaining, then please laugh with the writer. These are my travels, adventures and thoughts.

Quote of the Week

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
~ Saint Augustine

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